To The Rescue
by queenfirst
Summary: The day she turned thirteen was the day she met Matsuoka Rin. It was also the day she almost died. [Ties in with canon]
1. Matsuoka

CHAPTER ONE

_Matsuoka_

That afternoon was a strange one. The sky couldn't decide whether it wanted to remain clear and blue or cloaked in a blanket of grey clouds. Australia was weird like that.

Hiro was craning her head towards the glass roof, gazing at the bipolar heavens as she wiped the cookie crumbs from her chubby cheeks. Half a dozen was probably a bit much, but she was a growing girl. Besides, it was her birthday. What better way to celebrate?

Unfortunately, the universe decided to send her a gift. It was both unnecessary and unwarranted, and came in the form of two cruel girls.

She smelt them before she saw them. Their cloying perfume assaulted her senses, easily subsuming the scent of chlorine permeating the air. Her full belly churned at the sickening stench.

"Ugh," groaned one of the girls, as she came into sight before Hiro. She smacked a hand on her thin, unclothed waist. "Who let the pig in here?"

Her friend giggled, the sheer pitch making Hiro flinch. "Can she even float?" she asked. Her voice was hushed in a false whisper that could be heard within a three-metre radius.

Not for the first time, Hiro wished she wasn't so plump. It made ducking out of sight a lot more difficult, but she did her best as she lowered her head. Her eyes were glued to the ground, watching her bare feet pad against the slick floor.

"I don't know," said the first girl – the horribly skinny one. For some reason, chills crept down Hiro's back at the strange lilt in her voice. "Why don't we find out?"

That was the only warning Hiro received before she felt two pairs of hands grip her. With a fierce shove, they sent her tumbling into the icy depths of the pool. She could do nothing but gasp as she crashed into the water. Her wide eyes barely registered the sight of the two girls stalking off and sniggering before the chemical-infested waters ate into her vision.

The water rushed to meet her, invading her entire system. All she could see was an endless blue blur as she struggled to surface, thrashing her limbs furiously. Despite being submerged in water, she felt like she was on fire. Everything burned – her eyes, her throat, her lungs. In her panic, Hiro let out what little air she was clinging onto, and she watched in horror as her final breath bubbled to the surface, which was so far away now…

She knew no one would come for her. She had entered the vicinity by herself, and the pools were almost empty at this time of day, especially the deep end she had been thrust into.

Maybe she could finally see her mother again. Hiro's stinging eyes blinked shut, allowing the darkness to wash over her.

And then it ended as abruptly as it began. Light suddenly seared into her eyes, the pure brightness chasing away the black spots. She gasped, greedily consuming the precious air. Once her senses had cleared, she realised with a jolt that someone had saved her – _was_ saving her.

He had thrown her right arm over his shoulders, propping her body against his own as he propelled them towards the ledge. Were the circumstances any different, Hiro would have been extremely embarrassed with the proximity. As it was, she was busy trying to overcome her shock over what had just happened.

They came to a stop. With a shaky breath, Hiro heaved herself out of the pool, cringing at the way the body of water seemed to want to drag her back in. It made a disgusting _slurp_ as she pulled herself free.

She all but collapsed on the sweet, sweet solid floor. It was hard and uncomfortable and dirty from the countless feet that had trodden on it, but she didn't care because she was on safe grounds once more.

And there was only one person to thank for that.

Hiro inched her water-logged head towards the boy who had rescued her. "Thank you," she whispered, her amber eyes locking with his purple ones. Why did they look so familiar…? And then it clicked. "You're Matsuoka Rin, right?"

The boy in question gazed at her sharply, his surprise momentarily clearing away his scowl. It returned all too quickly. "Yeah. And?"

Um, wow. She had expected her knight in shining armour to be a bit less… well, grumpy. Hiro gave herself a mental slap. Who cared about that? He had done her a favour she could never repay, so he could be as rude as he wanted to be.

"Sorry," she murmured, both because she had irritated him and because of her uncharitable thoughts. "It's just- I've seen you in school, and stuff." _Nice save_, she thought sarcastically. While it was true, that wasn't the reason she had suddenly identified him. She didn't just see him – she had heard about him, too. Mostly through whispers in the hallways about how he was a freak when it came to swimming. To be labelled as such in a school that was three-quarters dedicated to swimming and sports alike… Well, it said a lot, didn't it?

If anything, his glower intensified. "What are you doing here if you can't swim?"

Hiro could feel the blood rushing into her cheeks. Instinctively, she flicked her hair to cover her face, before remembering it was sopping wet. The thick locks simply slapped her before swinging back in place. _And now_, she thought, _I'm going to pull a disappearing act so perfect I'll never have to show my embarrassing face ever again…_

"I like watching the water," she admitted, finally mustering the courage to look him in the eye. "Um, I'm Naoko Hiro, by the way. Thanks… Thanks for saving me."

A look of understanding illuminated Matsuoka's features. "You're Japanese," he noted, a hand through his shoulder-length hair. Was it just her, or did the edges of his face seem…softer? Still, she understood his bewilderment. The red hair was a bit off-putting. His purple tresses could give her a run for her money in terms of eccentricity, though.

"Yes," she replied, switching to her native language. "I moved here to Australia when I was seven… Y-Your English is pretty good." Oh, god, she hoped didn't sound patronising, even if it was true; there was only a hint of an accent in him.

But her wishes went unheard. "Yours is pretty bad," he said flatly, snapping his goggles into place. The transfer student pushed his feet off the side of the pool, shooting into the water. During the entire conversation—or was it confrontation?—Hiro had been avoiding looking at him more than necessary. So that was why she didn't see the horrible marks on Matsuoka Rin's bare torso.

Her chest began to ache again, just like it had when she had been submerged in the watery depths of the pool. Her eyes were glued to Matsuoka's lean form, but it wasn't because of admiration or lust. It was due to the furious red scratches imbedded in his body.

Crescents and of crimson and streaks of scarlet stood out against his pale skin, causing Hiro's hands to clench and her feet to curl out of immediate sight. She couldn't bring herself to peer down, because she knew what she would see: nails caked in blood. Matsuoka Rin's blood.

All of a sudden, the humungous swimming centre seemed much too small. The blue walls seemed to close in on her, trapping her in its confines. The sharp stench of chlorine lashed out against her senses, and all she could hear was the rushing of the water and the slamming of her feet as she hastened outside, away from the pools and away from Matsuoka Rin. The boy who saved her – the boy she attacked.

It was official. Naoko Hiro hated herself.

By the time she made it home, she felt as if she had aged fifty years. Her body seemed heavier than normal, and it wasn't because of the cookies or the fact that her clothes still hadn't dried. It was because of the guilt weighing her down. She spent the rest of the day with her head down, refusing to look her father in the eye or even eat dinner. The latter was supremely worrisome.

As she stepped out of her bathroom covered in nothing but a towel, she flipped open the door of her closet. The mirror on the opposite side was cloaked in a thick layer of dust, having not seen the light of day in at least a year. Hiro tended to avoid it as much as she could. But now she needed to face the limelight.

If asked, Hiro wouldn't say she was skinny. She wasn't fat, either. She didn't even know what she was, but it wasn't normal. Maybe if she had been lighter, she wouldn't have sunk so effortlessly. Maybe if she had been thinner, she wouldn't have clawed Matsuoka Rin to shreds as she flailed about like a drowning cat.

It wasn't the first time Hiro had viewed herself as heavy, but it was the first time she had realised how utterly burdensome she was – like an anchor. Plummeting towards rock bottom and dragging along anyone unfortunate enough to come in contact with her.

Well, she would have to change that. Hiro glanced at her reflection, unsurprised to see a fire flicker into her eyes. She instantly knew what it was. Determination.

The flames still smouldered the next day, she woke up at the crack of dawn. All her senses protested loudly, but she ignored it all and went out for the first of many jogs. She immediately regretted her decision when she staggered into her home twenty minutes later. Her father paused in his breakfast to eye her warily before retreating to his study.

When he returned and found her collapsed on the wonderfully cool tiles of the living room, he silently placed a small container by her side. Hiro eventually plucked her face off the floor and discovered it contained a salve with soothed away all her sores. As she sat there, relishing the feeling of the aches fading away, she knew what she had to do.

When the final bell of the day rang, Hiro immediately went straight to the athletic department of the school – more specifically, the pools. Entering her almost-grave still made her jumpy, but that was the life jacket was for.

Still, she couldn't shake off the slight chill creeping up on her. Hiro sighed. Why couldn't she and Matsuoka share the same lunch period? Because he was a year ahead of her—not to mention in the athletic department—their schedules ran differently, meaning her chances of running into him within the school building were slim. Things would have been so much easier if she were in eighth grade like Matsuoka.

Hiro found him in the furthest lane from the entrance, already at full-throttle. Though the actual training sessions didn't start for another hour or two, Matsuoka always arrived earlier and stayed way after everyone else. That was what she had gleaned off the mutterings of the swim team members and uninvolved students, at any rate. It seemed like the rumours held a ring of truth to them, even if they were embittered with envy. "Crazy," they called him. "Dedicated," thought Hiro.

In fact, he was so dedicated that he didn't even emerge until half an hour later. Hiro had whittled the time away by kneading away the tautness of her muscles and watching the water swell and swirl. She was startled out of her trance when a head shot out of the endless blue a metre or two away from her bench. Matsuoka extracted himself from the water with a powerful lurch, sending waves crashing around him as a result.

It was now or never. Hiro swallowed back her trepidation and braced herself.

"Matsuoka-san?" she said, slowly stepping towards him. She was half afraid the swimmer would tell her to buzz off or ignore her together. But he did neither of these, choosing instead to flick his gaze at her in acknowledgement as he shook off his swimming cap. Bolstered by this, she presented her peace offering. "I'd like you to accept this. It's for…for your wounds."

Poisonous purple eyes bored into her. Hiro tried not to squirm as she maintained his stare as best as she could. Finally, after a ridiculously long moment, he nodded and took the small container of cream from her outstretched hands.

Though he had positioned himself so that he was facing away her, Hiro could see him struggling with the lid. His toned arms trembled as he attempted to wrestle it open, and she was sure she could hear some faint curses of frustration. She tried to smother her smirk.

Hiro cleared her throat slightly. "Swimming must be tiring," she said, in what she hoped was a casual voice. When he made no reply, Hiro took the cream once more. "Sometimes it just needs a gentle touch." The lid twisted open with a pop, filling the air around it with a refreshing minty scent. A small, shy smile was on her face as she looked back up to Matsuoka. It quickly died when she noticed his scowl.

"Maybe I wouldn't be having so much trouble if someone hadn't chosen to use me as their scratching post," he muttered, lips pulled back slightly to reveal a flash of white. His teeth seemed sharper than the average human's, and all Hiro could think was, _Get away from the shark_.

Her instinctive reaction was irritation. It quickly fizzled out when drops of water flecked her skin, as Matsuoka ran a hand through his damp hair. The movement revealed the angry red marks colouring his skin, reminding her why she was here in the first place.

Hiro grimaced. "Sorry." Privately, she wondered if Matsuoka was now regretting his impulsive decision to dive after her thrashing body. Her guilt intensified at the thought.

Matsuoka grunted, his fingers tightening around the open jar of cream. She tensed, in case he decided to throw it back in her face. To her pleasant surprise, however, he turned his back to her and slowly but surely applied the salve. Hiro beamed, though her joy was dampened somewhat when she heard him wince.

Realisation slammed into her like an anvil. Matsuoka swam with his chest bared – meaning his cuts were exposed to the open air and water alike. He had practically rubbed salt in his wounds as he tore through the chemically enhanced pool.

The revelation haunted Hiro as she headed home. Like yesterday, she had broken into a run. The only difference was that the unease twisting her stomach was gone, replaced by something much warmer. _Resolve_. Because if Matsuoka Rin could spend hours swimming with his skin practically on fire, then she could sure as hell sprint a few measly minutes.

That last thought became her mantra. She chanted it to herself as she exercised, pushing her protesting body to its limits. It wasn't as if she was completely resolute; no, Hiro was still human, and that meant she wanted to laze around and stuff her face and not lift a single finger. It was only the sight of Matsuoka and his empowering dedication which spurned her on.

Which was why she visited him almost every day. Normally, non-competitive swimmers were prevented access from the pools, but being the daughter of one of the school's major benefactors tended to have its perks. It also helped that she didn't do anything but sit and spectate each day – although the object of her interest would probably say otherwise.

At first, Matsuoka had barely acknowledged her presence. Hiro always seated herself far enough to not be considered as invasive, and stayed no more than an hour. Plenty of time to drink her fill and depart before the actual training began. Whenever she felt particularly drained or on the brink of giving up, the sight of the swimmer barrelling through the lanes cheered her up, fuelling her with newfound willpower.

Days turned to weeks. Finally, Matsuoka decided enough was enough.

"Why are you stalking me?" he demanded one day, stomping up towards her.

Hiro didn't bother dodging the drops of water the swimmer sent shooting towards her with his explosive movements. He sounded so sober and serious that she tried not to feel too amused. "I'm not stalking you," she said. "I'm observing the area, which you happen to be in, Matsuoka-san."

He crossed his arms over his (healed) chest. "So that's why, whenever I switch lanes in the pool, I always find you nearby?"

"Coincidence," she muttered, looking anywhere but in his direction. "Also… there's something about you, Matsuoka-san. It makes me worry."

He looked at her as if she had sprouted a second head. "_What_?"

In one sweeping gesture, Hiro snatched the book from her lap and almost shoved it in the boy's face. "This book details everything about swimming – including all the things that could go wrong. What if your muscles cramp as you dive in and you can't surface?"

"That's stupid," he said flatly. _And so are you_, was his silent addition.

Hiro shrugged, well aware of that fact. "Better safe than sorry. Think of me as your…spotter."

Matsuoka frowned. "This isn't weight-lifting. Swimming doesn't need spotters! Besides, you can't even swim." When Hiro began to point at her glaringly obvious life-jacket, he snapped, "How do you expect to reach the depths of the pool when you're bobbing along on the surface?"

Hiro extracted a whistle from her pocket. "There are loads of people here. I'm pretty sure someone will rush over if I blow this."

Matsuoka gave her an exasperated look. It might have been the lighting, but Hiro could have sworn she saw a hint of amusement in those violet eyes. "Fine," he conceded, sighing. "Do whatever you want."

Hiro: 1  
Matsuoka: 0

And so their days continued (arguably) peacefully. It was a continuous pattern they shared, one they both got accustomed to and—at least on Hiro's part—comfortable with. Matsuoka swam and ignored her, Hiro watched wordlessly with her gear prepared. It was the same every day.

Except, one day, Matsuoka Rin didn't show up at all.

* * *

_**And...cut! Ooh, cliffhanger. **_

_**My first Free! fanfic, and the only thing I've published in several years. **__**Thoughts? Feels? Let me know!**_


	2. Naoko

_**Woo! One review and one follow! This one's for you, **_**M****ini**_** and **_**ev661! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ**

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

_Naoko_

Hiro instantly flew into a panic.

Twenty minutes had dragged by, and still no sign of Matsuoka. That was cause enough for fright, if not downright terror. When Matsuoka missed a chance to swim – well, then, you better get into your bomb shelters, because the world was coming to an end.

Unfortunately, the other swimmers didn't see it that way.

"Huh?" one guy asked, scratching the back of his blonde head. "Rin Matsuoka…? Oh, that guy. Hell if I know where he is."

Hiro recoiled as if struck. What the heck was with that tone? It might have been the heavy accent (European, maybe? This school was so international that she could barely keep up) but… "Did you see him yesterday?" she asked, instead. There would be a time and place for that, but not now.

The blonde scrunched up his face in thought before smirking. Hiro's concerned curiosity must have been obvious, because he graciously elaborated.

His words still rang in her ears even as she left him and headed for the dormitory. She had a good feeling as to why Matsuoka was absent.

The school and the dormitory were practically one and the same. The latter was only a short walk away, so Hiro made it there in no time. The person manning the front desk of the dormitory was a wary old man, who—with much side-eying—informed her that Matsuoka hadn't signed out since Sunday, which was yesterday. That meant he had skipped school entirely today. Now she was _really_ worried.

The man thought otherwise. "Kid's probably just playing hooky," he said, shrugging.

"But what if something's wrong?" she insisted, fidgeting with the hem of her jacket. "A-As his sister, it's my job to get worked up over these things."

"You're…Rin Matsuoka's sister?" he asked slowly, bespectacled eyes scrutinising her features.

"Yes. My, uh, _onii-chan_ has purplish-red hair, right?" Hiro pointed needlessly to her crimson locks. When the man hummed thoughtfully, she leaned in so close she could see his blue eyes widen in surprise. If it weren't for the sheet of glass separating them, she probably would have grabbed a fistful of his shirt, too. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

Her sincerity seemed to make up for her appalling acting skills, because Hiro found herself coming to a stop before Matsuoka's room a minute or two later. It was a good thing the man grew compliant; if he hadn't been, then Hiro would have had to put her tree-climbing skills to test.

She gave the door a tentative knock. When nothing but silence greeted her, she ventured out a, "Matsuoka-san?" Still nothing.

Wait. There was a faint noise, like that of rustling blankets. So, she was right; he was in there. As to what condition he was in, she didn't know.

"Sorry, Matsuoka-san," she said, pulling out the spare key, "but I'm coming in."

The first thing Hiro noticed was how clean Matsuoka's dorm was. She had expected it to be cluttered with mess, like any teenage boy's would. Then again, most teenagers had someone to care for and clean after them…

Hiro continued to grow more uncomfortable the further she went in. Not a single thing was out of place – all the books were lined neatly in their shelves, all the dishes dried and stored away, all the furniture clean and spotless. It barely looked inhabited.

She found Matsuoka in bed, nestled in a cocoon of blankets. He was facing the wall with his back to her. Was he sleeping?

"Matsuoka-san?" Hiro knelt before his bed. "You okay?"

A groggy voice groaned from the mountain of sheets. "Go away."

It was not his words but his tone that made her flinch. "You're sick," she murmured. Matsuoka rolled over, providing her with a proper look of his face. It was as pale as the white handkerchief pressed against his sweaty forehead.

"It's nothing," he panted. "Get out of my room."

Hiro stared at him for a moment before obliging. She could feel his shock as she left his bedroom, only to have it double when she returned. When he opened his mouth to demand what she was doing, Hiro took advantage of the opening by quickly but gently placing the thermometer between his lips.

Sensing he was about to rip the stick from his mouth, she said, "The more you cooperate, the sooner I'll be out of your hair." Fortunately, Matsuoka's wariness overcame his rebellious spirit, as he complied. But that didn't stop him from spewing "Leave me alone" as she removed the thermometer.

"And leave you to die?" she asked, her incredulity grabbing hold of her and making her switch back to English. Hiro forced her eyes to look away from the glaring '39.5 degrees' and frowned at the bedridden boy. "You saved my life, Matsuoka-san. Now I'm returning the favour."

"I'm n-not dying."

"Tell me that when you're not shivering like crazy," she muttered, walking away.

As Hiro cleaned the thermometer and returned it to the bathroom, she wondered where her sudden stubbornness had come from. Maybe it was just a side-effect of Matsuoka's pigheadedness.

Though tiny, the kitchen was rather well-stocked. She had access to all the ingredients necessary for porridge, even some chives for garnish. Did the school keep everything in stock, or did Matsuoka purchase it all himself? When Hiro opened one cabinet and discovered it filled to the brim with jars of kimchi, she decided it was most likely the latter.

The entire process took longer than she would have liked. Hiro could have blamed it on the fact that she was in unfamiliar territory, but it was mostly because she spent a good chunk of time snooping around. The grey walls were plain and bare, and the doors of the small fridge were clear except for Matsuoka's schedule. Maybe things would have been livelier if he had a roommate… How on earth did he deal with the loneliness?

It wasn't until she was about to dispose of the scraps that she found anything noteworthy. Hiro tapped her foot against the pedal, sending the lid of the trash can flying open. It was mostly empty, except… Hiro faltered as something glinted in the depths of the bin.

She should have ignored it. She should have dumped her rubbish in the can and forgotten about the thing entirely. Instead, Hiro plucked the item from the now-empty bin, all-the-while hoping that the curious cat wouldn't be mauled by the furious shark.

It was a medal – and it was in relatively good condition, too. Four featureless figures standing close together were emblazoned on it. The sheen had dulled a bit, but the gold disc was without a single scratch. It was strung on a red ribbon lined with white and soft to the touch. Hiro gripped the medal in her hand as she threw the food scraps away.

Matsuoka had fallen asleep while she had been cooking. When she entered his bedroom, though, he stirred awake. She placed the tray of food and medicine onto his lap, instructing him to eat. The boy must have been feeling worse than she thought, for he submitted without argument.

Hiro ran her eyes over Matsuoka's room as he ate. Like the rest of his dormitory, it was immaculate and impersonal. The only thing that proved that someone actually lived here instead of using it as a place to sleep was the study table tucked into one corner of the room. On it was a neat stack of sheets—judging from the red marks on the corner of the top page, it was a pile of test papers—although what really grabbed her attention were the three photo frames.

But there were only two pictures. One was of a middle-aged man with a friendly smile and the other was of a woman and a girl, both with hair the colour of wine. The third and final frame was startlingly empty, revealing only the black back of the panel.

Hiro squinted. There was something in the top corner. A smidge of blue – perhaps a remnant of the picture that was recently there? It was as if someone had hastily tried to rip the photo from its frame, only to have that section cling on.

It was only then did she notice the silence. Judging from the lack of clinking utensils, Matsuoka had either finished eating or stopped to stare at her as she stuck her nose in where it didn't belong. Hiro wanted to jump out the window then and there.

She cleared her throat and continued to gaze at his table, hoping her posture looked casual. "T-That's your sister, right? I managed to get in here because I told the man at the desk that you were my brother," she admitted in a small voice, finally taking a chance and glancing at Matsuoka.

The only other occupant of the room simply stared, eyes glazed over. "Yeah," he muttered. "Her name is Gou."

He was talking to her. He was actually talking to her. Volunteering information about his family, no less. Hiro should have been worried—he really must be ill—but she couldn't help herself; she was ecstatic. That probably made her a terrible person, but…

Hiro smiled hesitantly. "I hope she forgives me for the identity theft."

"Not like it matters," said Matsuoka, shrugging. "She's back in Japan with my mum."

"You're…" Alone? "W-What about your dad?"

"He passed away."

_Ooft_. Hiro felt as if someone had just punched her in the gut. The chilly autumn air managed to seep into the room, sending shivers down her spine. Matsuoka downed his medicine, avoiding eye contact. His jaw was locked tight, as if to prevent more words from spilling out in his moment of weakness.

Hiro walked over to the window and peered outside, watching as the grey clouds threatened to consume the blue sky. The sight sent a pang of pain into her chest, because it was so much like that day…

"My mum's gone, too," she finally said. "She died five years ago. My dad was inconsolable, and we ended up moving here – her birthplace. I hate it here. I feel so…so lonely."

A sharp gust of wind slapped in the face, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Sorry," she said breathlessly. "I don't know why— Sorry for rambling, and for making this about me."

Hiro massaged the bridge of her nose. It had been so long since she had spoken to somebody, especially about something so intimate, that she couldn't help but let it all out. The words had gushed from her mouth like a broken dam.

But Matsuoka didn't seem mad. Beneath the feverish haze, his eyes narrowed in thought. "But you have your dad," he said.

Wha—? Oh. Hiro tried to shrug off her discomfort. "He was never really the same afterwards... In a way, I lost both of them that day."

"What are you talking about?" hissed Matsuoka. "He's still here with you, isn't he? You can still speak with him, can't you?"

A blanket of clouds drifted by, momentarily cutting off the rays of sunlight streaming into the room. They were bathed in darkness, and Hiro felt strangely claustrophobic. Or maybe that was just the anger coursing through her, choking and strangling her.

She wanted to scream, to shout defiantly. She wanted to tell Matsuoka that he had no right butting in and criticising her, when she realised that he had every right. Here she was, whining and griping about her relationship with her father, when the gaping distance between Matsuoka and his father was insurmountable. Ashamed, Hiro buried her face in her hands.

"O-Oi," mumbled Matsuoka. The creaking of his bed told her that he had risen, and she could feel the heat of his body as he came to a stop before her. "Don't cry, N…Naoko."

Hiro couldn't help it; she snorted. She glanced up from her palms and at the stunned Matsuoka. "I wasn't crying," she told him needlessly.

The not-so-sick boy gaped at her for a good while. "Y-You!" His outstretched—was he about to give her a consoling pat?—clenched into fists.

"But thank you for worrying, Matsuoka-kun," she said, her wry smile becoming several shades sincerer.

"I liked you better when you shy and timid," he grumbled.

Her smile widened at that. "You're looking healthier," she noted. Hiro raked her gaze over Matsuoka's face, which seemed to positively glow. Then again, that was probably the golden light of the sun, which had reappeared sometime during their banter.

Matsuoka glanced to the side as he scratched his cheek. "Yeah. Thanks."

"No worries. I cook for myself all the time."

"Just for yourself?"

It was Hiro's turn to look away, her smile fading. "Yeah. But… But not anymore." She raised her head, feeling the familiar heat of determination spread throughout her body as she met Matsuoka's eyes. "I'll get right on that now, actually."

Matsuoka nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards just a tad. It wasn't a smile—not even close—but the sight managed to fan the flames of her willpower, making her stand a little straighter. "Good," he said.

Hiro beamed before excusing herself. It was imperative that she returned home as quickly as possible – she had to make dinner for two, after all. She and her dad had a lot to catch up on.

She left Matsuoka with a smile on her face and her heart full of hope. When she saw him again two days later, there were bags beneath her eyes and a harsh frown marring her lips. Dread weighed her down, making her drag each and every step.

When he caught sight of her horrid face, Matsuoka almost fell back into the pool he was climbing out of. Hiro would have smiled—heck, she would have rejoiced at the fact that the swimmer was well again and back on his feet—if she didn't feel so drained.

"You look like hell," he kindly informed her.

Hiro rubbed her tired eyes. Wasn't _that _the understatement of the year? "My…My dad kind of dropped a bombshell on me the other night."

Matsuoka fiddled with the goggles around his neck, indecision rippling across his features. "What was it?"

When she heaved a sigh in response, it felt like every ounce of energy in her body took off with it.

It happened the night she left Matsuoka's. The dinner had started off well enough – the actual meal was small and simple, though her dad had been pleasantly surprised. He was one of the few people Hiro actually interacted with on a daily basis, despite his demanding job, so she could tell by the softening of his expression and the twinkling of his brown eyes that he was happy.

Having spent most of his life in the Land of the Rising Sun, her dad preferred speaking in Japanese rather than English. He was mainly the reason she still spoke it after all this time, and so well, too. (Minus the accent, as she had discovered from the gracious Matsuoka Rin.) After the initial "how's school/work" and "these canned peas are pretty tasty", there came a pause so long and loud that Hiro actually began to twitch. The feeling must have been mutual for her creator, because he was staring intently at his (baked, not fried) fish fingers as if they would provide him with all the answers in the world.

He cleared his throat with a cough, just like Hiro did whenever she was anxious. She ceased twirling with her fork, which almost clattered out of her sweaty grip when her dad said, "Hiro… There's something I need to tell you."

She stiffened. That tone – she knew that tone. It was the one her dad used whenever he tried to convince someone to lay down their arms or give in quietly. He had only used it on her once. It was when she was seven and in the hospital, waiting with bated breath to learn about her mother's condition…

"Things aren't going well with my job." The man stopped short with a frown. "No, that's not right. Things are going too well – and that's the problem." He inhaled deeply. "Hiro, I'm being promoted."

She felt like a child again, so naïve and clueless. "But isn't that a good thing?"

Her dad shook his head slowly, as if any sudden movements would scare her off. "Not exactly. Now that the gangs plaguing the neighbourhood are gone, my skills aren't needed here anymore." He paused, allowing the words to sink in. "I'm being transferred."

Hiro stared at the dinner she had been looking forward to. She was no longer hungry – but the food had grown cold anyway.

She had to force her next words out of her mouth. Even then, it came out as an almost inaudible whisper. "Where to?"

His next words made her freeze. It was as if she had was in the hospital again, hopelessly helpless as her entire world spun out of her control.

"To Japan."

The following days had been hell. It wasn't anger at her dad or the fact that she was leaving the country that kept her up. No, it was whom she was abandoning that made her fidget restlessly. She had spent almost every waking moment debating how to inform him, before she realised that there was no point in worrying over it; they weren't close friends or anything. They were barely even friends as it was. But, still.

As expected, when she had finished with a summarised form of events, Matsuoka stared at her for a moment before murmuring a soft, "Oh." She barely caught it over the cacophony around them, but the silence enshrouding them lent her a helping hand.

The monosyllabic response made her lips quirk into a wry smile. It was very him – or was it? After all, Hiro had known him for all of one month. There was no basis for her conclusion, but there could have been if she didn't have to move…

Hiro shook her head to dismiss the thoughts clouding her mind. Her hands clenched into fists around her bag as she glanced up from her lap and into Matsuoka's eyes. Now that she noticed it, they weren't really the poisonous shade of purple she had thought they were – it was actually kind of an amethyst colour. Huh.

She shot up from her seat and took in a deep breath, savouring even the tang of chlorine. "This is the last time I'll probably ever see you, Matsuoka-kun. So I got you this." Hiro swung the gift bag before her and Matsuoka's gaping face. "Living in a dorm with hundreds of other guys must be troublesome, especially when it comes to laundry. Um, that's what I'm assuming, anyway… I'm sure you guys get your towels and stuff mixed up all the time—" which wasn't difficult to do, since almost everyone opted for a simple white one "—so hopefully this will fix that problem. Er, for you, at any rate." She finished her smooth and articulate rambling with a nervous half-smile.

Matsuoka simply stared. Finally, when Hiro thought she was going to have to pry open his hands and force the present into them, he saved her the trouble and accepted it with no small amount of uncertainty. "Thank you," he said quietly. "But," he added, glancing at her, "normally the one who's leaving receives a present. Not the other way around."

Ah. Hiro stared at the pool and the water it held, the bright blue almost blinding her. "Actually," she said softly, "you already gave the best present I could ask for."

"You mean saving you?" he asked, following her gaze. "But that was nothing. Anyone would have done that."

"No, not that – though I am grateful. Matsuoka-kun, you didn't just save my life; you brought life to me." When she realised how her words sounded, Hiro blanched and hastily backtracked. "Not, like, in the Frankenstein-sense or anything, but you gave me fight." She frowned. Was that the right word? Being bilingual sucked sometimes.

"Watching you swim every day, watching you work so hard and so consistently – it was like someone had given me a wake-up call. I thought, 'If Matsuoka-kun can do that, then I'm capable of doing this'." Hiro tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. "I know it might not seem like much to you, but it changed my life. So, thank you, Matsuoka-kun."

There. Hiro had just finished spilling her most intimate thoughts. She drew in a burst of cool air to quell her frazzled nerves. The only thing that stopped her from combusting out of sheer mortification was the fact that Matsuoka seemed even more flustered than she.

He scratched the nape of his neck. "I…I didn't do anything as great as that. My swimming—"

"—Inspired me." Hiro glanced to the side, where the other swimmers were practicing fervently. Her eyes zeroed in one particular boy—the blonde—whose words echoed in the back of her mind.

'_Rin Matsuoka is so bad he can't even rank!'_

But what did that matter? She smiled at the conflicted boy before her. "You may not be the fastest or strongest swimmer," she acknowledged, "but I think you're the most powerful of them all. You have the most heart."

"You have a weird way of saying goodbye," noted Matsuoka, a strange smile on his lips.

"Who says this is goodbye?" she asked, with a breathy sort of chuckle. "We might meet again one day. At the very least, I'll see you at the Olympics. So… See you later, Matsuoka-kun."

With one final smile, Hiro turned around and walked out the door, with the knowledge that their short story was coming to an end. Little did she realise, however, that it was only the beginning…


	3. Nagisa

_**You know, I actually wasn't planning to update until next month, but I caved, thanks to the new review and favourite - both of which were by **_**Aoi The Exorcist. _This is for you! (And everyone else, of course.) °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°_**

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CHAPTER THREE

_Nagisa_

Japan. Her birthplace. Her home for the foreseeable future.

It was a nice place, she supposed. Not that different from her old home, except for the people, the language, the food, the atmosphere… Okay, so it was very different. The most significant dissimilarity, however, was that her life was extremely eventful. Whereas nothing happened for the first five years of her life in Sydney, Hiro found herself tangled in some troublesome things two years after she settled into Tokyo.

Because that was when her dad was shot.

It happened a few weeks after she had turned fifteen. Hiro had been in the midst of another dull math lesson, when she was suddenly pulled out of class by an out-of-breath teacher. Though she would have rejoiced at any opportunity to skip the horrid subject, the expression on the teacher's face quickly nipped that joy in the bud.

Her father, said the worried teacher, was hospitalised.

The trip passed by in a blur. Hiro was so out of it, the police officer escorting her could have revealed he was a shape-shifting alien and she wouldn't have even noticed. All she could concentrate on was the last time she was headed to the hospital, and how her world had been ripped away from her.

It was only when the doctors informed her of her dad's condition did Hiro snap out of her trance. Despite the shouts and scolds of the staff members, Hiro ran towards the room her sole parent was residing in. She flung the door open and rushed to his side, choking back a sob as she took in his weak form.

"Hey, Hiro," he murmured casually, as if he hadn't just taken a bullet to the leg.

"You're an idiot," she managed to choke out, before burying her face in his blankets and unleashing enough tears to fill several buckets, two small rivers and an ocean. She finally cried herself asleep, listening to the laboured breathing of her dad while his hand rested against her head.

When he was fully recovered and released from physiotherapy, Superintendent Naoko Kenji announced his official retirement. That very day, Hiro found herself packing up all her belongings for the second time in two years. This time, however, it was sans the sadness and heart-wrenching goodbyes.

"You sure you don't want to stay a little longer to tell your friends?" asked her dad as they pulled out their suitcases.

Hiro nodded. She was sure.

"Alright, then." The middle-aged man closed the door behind him, limping slightly as he walked forwards. "Iwatobi, here we come."

The moment Hiro stepped foot into the small town, she knew she would like it here. The air was clean and fresh, accentuated by the slight tang of salt from the nearby ocean. That was only natural, since Iwatobi was a fishing town and all. It was perfect for her dad, since fishing didn't require much physical exertion. The hobby was one of sitting and waiting, not running and fighting.

The notion was a promising one for him, but it was also a slothful one. Her Dad the Police Officer used to be toned and muscled, strong and silent. Now he was Dad the Fisherman, his face weathered and wrinkled with smile lines as he actually spent time with his only child. It was strange, but not necessarily in a bad way.

Unfortunately, the change in disposition also brought along a notable bout of disorganisation. Now that he no longer had a schedule to maintain, her dad was allowed to be lazy. Again, it wasn't exactly a bad thing, except that it resulted in a miscalculation on their part – Hiro was late for the first day of her new school by about forty-eight hours.

The only reason she had discovered this was because her dad had just returned from his early fishing trip. The sun was on its way to centre of the sky as he stored away his catch of the day. "You know," he said, as he stuck his head into the fridge, "I saw some kids walking around in their uniform this morning."

Hiro froze, the chopsticks falling from her grip. "As in, walking to school?"

"Hm? Yeah, I gue— Oh." Her dad scratched his cheek, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, Hiro."

But she barely heard him. The (late) teen rushed around the house, throwing on a light jacket over her shirt as she collected the necessary paperwork. "I'm leaving now!" she cried over her shoulder as she ran out the door and towards the school.

Thank God the high school wasn't too far away. With her mild speed, Hiro reached it in several minutes. Good thing she maintained her daily jogs.

The faculty office was conveniently located near the entrance, and she slid to a stop before the door. Panting considerably, she smoothed out her long hair and patted down her bangs before giving a tentative knock and entering the room.

She was greeted with furious screaming.

Hiro cringed before realising it wasn't directed at her. That still didn't stop her shoulders from tensing, though. "Excuse me," she murmured to the teacher closest to the door. Despite the shouts from the back of the room, she managed to get the man's attention. "I'm looking for Mr Yamada?"

She had been hoping that the teacher she was speaking to was the one she was searching for, but the man's wince told her otherwise. "Just a moment." He looked to the opposite side of the room, which had quietened considerably. "Mr Yamada! There's a student for you!"

The man who had finished scolding the students turned to her. Hiro fought the urge to duck and hide behind the door. "Who are you?" he asked gruffly.

Hiro approached him cautiously, trying and failing to ignore the pairs of eyes on her. "I'm…Naoko Hiro. My dad's a friend of yours, and he told me to give you this?" She handed him the envelope, which contained her personal details.

The irritation on Mr Yamada's face melted away as he brightened. "Oh, you're Kenji's daughter, huh? You have your mother's hair," he noted, as he took in her appearance. He rifled through the documents, paying no mind to the blush that was surely staining her cheeks or the boys he had just been reprimanding. Hiro, however, was excruciatingly aware of all that.

"I've been told," she admitted, fiddling with a scarlet strand.

"So you're transferring here…tomorrow?" Her dad's good friend nodded, glancing up from the paperwork. "You'll need your uniform, then. You two!" he snapped, whirling back to the students. "Escort her to the uniform store. And _don't _try anything. Understood?"

Wait.

"Yes!" affirmed the two boys.

What?

"Good. Now go."

_Why?_

Hiro wanted to punch herself in the face – and Mr Yamada's as well. She supposed he was just being thoughtful, though to her, it was anything but.

As soon as they stepped out of the staffroom, Hiro turned to her involuntary companions. "Um, you don't have to accompany me. I'm sure I can find the store on my own."

The tallest of the duo smiled, the action seeming natural on his gentle features. "It's no big deal. Nagisa and I are more than happy to help you."

"Right!" chirped the blonde boy. Though he was shorter than his friend by half a head, he still had a few centimetres on her. "I'm Hazuki Nagisa, by the way. This is Tachibana Makoto. Nice to meet you!"

Hiro tried to smile. "Same here. But are you sure…?"

Tachibana's green eyes softened reassuringly, and Hiro was startled by how well he succeeded. "Yeah. It'll only take a few minutes, anyway."

Hazuki leapt forward. "Let's go, go, go!"

Seeing his exuberance, Hiro's smile became much more natural. Relaxing slightly, she followed the two boys as they led her through the brightly lit corridors. Though she deliberately slowed her speed so that she would trail behind them, Hazuki and Tachibana ignored her efforts and matched their pace with hers, striking a conversation as they went. Hiro mostly spoke to her sneakers.

She had told them what year she was in and how she had only just moved from the heart of the city. Hazuki seemed especially excited when he heard that, as he fired off question after question about Tokyo. What was the food like? Were there any aquariums? And, most importantly, were there any _penguins_? When the interrogation was over, Hiro felt as if she had just ran a marathon.

"Nagisa," chastised Tachibana.

The boy in question beamed, unashamed and unrepentant. "Sorry, sorry. Oh, here we are!"

Hiro practically ran into the storeroom. She could hear her heart sigh in relief. They finally made it! "Thank you for taking me here. Getting back will be no problem now."

Tachibana nodded. "I hope you like Iwatobi. It's a wonderful town, though I _am_ a little biased." He smiled, and Hiro couldn't help but reciprocate the action.

"Yeah," she murmured. "I think I will like it here."

"Bye, Hiro-chan!" called Hazuki, as they returned the way they came. "See you soon!"

She nodded. "Sure." But hopefully not _too_ soon_._ Naturally, her wish went unheard.

She ran into Hazuki less than a week later. Actually, she spotted him numerous times, but the most they did was exchange greetings as they rushed off to class. This time, however, she paused in the corridor when she came across him.

He was standing in the middle of hallway, before the bulletin board. He was abuzz with energy as per usual, bouncing up and down his feet as he waved his hands around. Partially hidden by the wall, Hiro watched him curiously.

"Come to the swimming club!" he called, smiling brightly at those passing by. Only a handful of students actually stopped to listen, while the rest continued on their way without batting an eye at him. Hazuki was undeterred, though. He reached into the jam-packed paper bag by his feet and brandished something with a flourish. "Join now and you'll get this!"

Whatever it was he was offering, it wasn't very impressive. The few people he had managed to hook in gave him flat stares before leaving. Hazuki now stood alone in the silent hallway, and Hiro's heart went out to the boy. Instead of slumping in defeat like she was expecting him to, however, the probable swimmer simply grabbed his things and moved on.

When he turned the corner, Hiro emerged from her hiding spot and approached the place he had just occupied. She gazed at the poster he tacked up smack in the middle of the board. The colourful monstrosity was hard to miss. It looked as if a three-year-old had grabbed hold of a sheet of paper and then proceeded to splatter it with every colour imaginable.

In order to examine it more closely, Hiro stepped forward. When her foot pressed against something soft, she glanced down in surprise. _Please don't be food, _she prayed silently. _Or worse – a bug. _

But it was neither. Hiro plucked the trinket from the floor and dusted it off. It was a small toy, no larger than her hand, and was probably meant to be a bird. She wasn't sure, since although it had yellow and pink wings as well as orange talons, it had the head of a rock. Not a real one—it was entirely made of a supple wood—but it was grey and clunky and denser than the body itself. Imbedded in the rock-like face were two eyes and a protruding beak.

"The heck?" she muttered. It was safe to say it was a bird, but it was weird and both disconcerting and discomforting. Naturally, she loved it.

It was a shame she had to part with it, but she knew its true owner would probably miss their bizarre knick-knack. With that regretful thought in mind, Hiro began her search for Hazuki Nagisa.

Ten minutes of lunch had passed before she found her lead. When Hiro had first been introduced to her class, she had breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that she wasn't placed with the boisterous blonde. Now was a different story.

She was close to giving up when a shadow crossed her path. Hiro looked up to see one of her classmates walk past her, his nose buried in a book. An idea struck her, and before she could have second thoughts, Hiro caught up to the boy. "Excuse me?" she said. She scuffed her foot against the tiled floor when his intelligent eyes peered down at her. "Do you know where I could find Hazuki Nagisa?"

"Hazuki?" he repeated, nudging his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Ah. He's always talking about the swimming club, so you should try their clubroom." And before she could for directions, he had beaten her to the chase and fired away like an extreme GPS.

Dazed, she murmured, "Thank you, Ryuguzaki-san." The name had shot into her mind the moment he began his rapid-fire speech – it was difficult to forget someone so eccentric, after all. When he nodded in response, Hiro returned to her journey, now explicitly mapped out.

A petite woman just leaving the clubroom as Hiro turned the corner. "Hello there!" she said brightly. "Are you here to join the swimming club?"

"Oh, no," she said, perhaps too vehemently. "I'm here to see Hazuki-kun. He dropped something earlier today."

The young woman sighed, tucking her short, wavy hair behind her ear. "That's too bad. Well, I won't keep you. Go ahead."

"Thank you." Once alone, Hiro approached the door. Her fist had just touched the wood when it flew open, and she was suddenly staring into Hazuki's pink eyes.

"Hiro-chan!" he gasped, sounding genuinely delighted. "What are you doing here? Could it be—?"

"No, I'm not joining the club. Sorry, Hazuki-kun," she said, gripping her bag. "You forgot something this morning, so…"

"Oh, Iwatobi-chan?" He blinked at the toy in her hands. "You came all this way for that?"

"Uh. Yes?"

"Thanks, Hiro-chan! You're so kind!" Before she could open her mouth to protest, he ploughed on. "But you didn't need to do that. Look!"

To her horror, Hazuki grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside, awfully strong for someone so slight. Her dread only increased when she was greeted with two pairs of curious eyes.

Relinquishing his hold on her, Hazuki grabbed a nearby box and thrust it before her face. Inside was a miniature mountain of Iwatobi-chan figures. Hiro sighed. _Of course_.

"Still," she pressed, "you really don't want this one back?"

Hazuki laughed. "Definitely. We have heaps, and Haru-chan is making more as we speak."

Hiro looked to the only person in the room she was unacquainted with. It was another guy, seated on a stool and hunched over what she now knew was yet another figurine. There was a whole pile by his feet. Fortunately, he had returned to his task and no longer paid her any mind.

"But," added Hazuki, voice growing crafty, "if you really feel bad, then you can join our club! You'll even receive another Iwatobi-chan, but a special version, of course."

"You'd really help us out, Hiro-chan," spoke up Tachibana. He smiled at her from his seat behind his desk.

The dusty, dark room felt extremely cramped. Hiro ran a hand through her hair as she tried to stamp down on her building anxiety. The sight of all those hopeful eyes on her weren't helping, either. Hazuki's sparkling stare seemed to stab right into her.

"Sorry, Hazuki-kun," she said softly. "I sort of have this rule against entering athletic clubs." Unbidden memories surfaced to mind as the words left her lips. The oppressive atmosphere, the competitive children, all starved for success, striving to be number one without a care for anyone else but themselves…

"Why's that?" Hazuki asked, a curious lilt in his voice.

"I'm…not very sporty?" she suggested. Clearing her throat loudly, Hiro waved the rock-bird mutation, which was apparently now hers. "Anyway, thanks for this. Good luck with your club, you guys."

"Thank you," said Tachibana.

Hazuki smiled. "Feel free to drop by any time!"

Hiro sincerely doubted the probability of that happening. But the universe seemed to adore picking on her, because she was almost always able to pick out the swimming club during school. Hazuki was the most noticeable of all, with his striking golden hair and radiant pink eyes. Hiro' was drawn to him like a flower to the sun.

He was just so _cheerful_. Not to mention confident. No matter how many times people shot him down, he always got straight back up. He worked diligently day after day, trying to recruit members as well as renovating the school's sole swimming pool. His friends were hard-workers as well, but they both lacked the sheer enthusiasm and joviality that Hazuki possessed.

Hiro stared after him so long and so hard that it was borderline creepy. Just as she grew aware of that freaky fact, Hazuki snapped his head in her direction. Her surprise only increased when he rushed towards her, oblivious to the disgruntled students snapping at him for knocking them aside. The boy only had eyes for her.

"Wha—?"

"Hiro-chan!" he cried, skidding to a stop before her. Hazuki gripped her shoulders, preventing her from backing away like she was about to. "I knew it – I really do want you!"

Hiro gaped. She could feel a blush creeping up on her face, and she wanted nothing more than to flee from the place and the stunned stares of the speculative students. But she was rooted by Hazuki – not by just his hands (though that was certainly a contributing factor) but also the sheer intensity of his gaze.

"What," she gasped, "are you on about?"

"I know you have your reasons, but _please_." If possible, Hazuki invaded her personal bubble further as he leaned close. She could feel his breath on her face, providing her with a wonderful whiff of strawberries. "Join the swimming club!"

She stared. And stared. Unlike the other times, though, the look she was giving the blonde wasn't one of admiration. It was of pure disbelief. When the shock finally faded away, Hiro snorted in amusement. She pressed her fingers to her lips as they widened into a grin.

"Honestly, Hazuki-san…" Hiro's shoulders shook with silent laughter, dislodging Hazuki's hands.

Hazuki blinked his wide, innocent eyes at her. "Does that mean you'll join?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes." The answer flew past her lips before she even realised it. Hiro was startled by her sudden forwardness, but when Hazuki threw back his head and cheered, she decided that that was okay.

"Please take care of me, Hazuki-san," she said, inclining her head slightly.

"Call me Nagisa, Hiro-chan!"

She smiled. "Okay, Nagisa-san."

Nagisa's answering grin was far more dazzling than the sun itself.


	4. Kou

_**I'm so sorry for how late this update is, especially considering the lovely people who took the time to review, favourite and follow this story. School has been so crazy (I'm in my final year) but now I have a two-week break! Woo! Anyway, I don't want to pull a Polonius, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter! It's extra long to compensate for my inactivity. Hopefully the next update won't take nearly as long. (＾∇＾✿)**_

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CHAPTER FOUR

_Kou_

"You can't swim?!"

It was a conventionally lovely afternoon. The endless blue of the sky was disrupted only by the occasional white cloud. The sun was high in the sky, providing just enough warmth and light without being too stifling. A cool breeze refreshed those who lived in Iwatobi, lifting their spirits and calming them. Well, most of them.

Hiro winced as she shook her head. "Sorry."

"So why did you join?" asked Tachibana, sounding curious rather than peeved.

"Because Nagisa-san invited me," she confessed, squeezing the life out of her Iwatobi-chan strap. She tried lifting her lips into a smile. "Also, I really wanted the Iwatobi-chan: special edition."

The boy she now knew as Nanase Haruka peered up from his sketchbook. "Why were you so adamant about getting someone who can't swim, Nagisa?"

Nagisa, who had been in the middle of handing Hiro her new figurine, suddenly threw an arm around her shoulders. They were so close he could practically feel the heat radiating from her cheeks, but it was as least better than what happened earlier that day. "Because she's a girl with a guy's name!" he declared righteously.

Hiro turned her head slightly so she could send Nagisa a bewildered stare. "That's why?" she said, even as a much more genuine smile worked its way up her face. The more time she spent with Nagisa, the more she learnt how crazy he truly was.

"Yeah! I mean, all of us guys have girly names, and even the girl who joined before you has a manly name as well!"

Well, that was something. "Someone else joined?" she asked. "Who?"

Nagisa's lips parted as he began to answer her, but he was beat to the chase when the door to the clubroom slid open. A first-year student walked in—judging by the red neck-tie—so comfortably and casually that Hiro had no doubt that this was her predecessor. Her long, burgundy hair was tied into a high ponytail, and the redhead was just about to put a name to the face when they locked eyes. And then it clicked.

Hiro's body froze so quickly it was as if someone had flipped her 'off' switch. From the corner of her eye, she could see Nagisa glancing at her curiously before disentangling himself from her stiff shoulders, but she didn't care. All Hiro could think of was a certain framed photo from two years ago.

"This is our manager, Matsuoka Kou," introduced Tachibana. "Kou-chan, this is our newest recruit, Naoko Hiro."

"I thought your name was Gou," she blurted out, before clamping her lips tight when she realised how rude she sounded. She really made the greatest first impressions.

Kou shot a glare at Nagisa, looking so much like her brother as she did so. "Did Nagisa-kun tell you that?"

The accused pouted. "But Gou suits you better!"

"It's Kou," she said flatly. She turned back to Hiro, who was relieved she didn't have to answer that previous question. Wouldn't _that _be an interesting tale? Kou gave her a polite, pretty smile. "Nice to meet you, Hiro-chan. Welcome to the club!"

Hiro was eighty per cent sure her answering smile looked more like a grimace. "Thank you. Nice to meet you, too, G— Kou-san."

Kou's achingly familiar purple eyes shone with gratitude at the last words before she pulled out a poster. Hiro was dimly aware of what Kou was saying—something about an indoor swimming pool—but she was too busy staring at the speaker to actually listen. Kou had a slim figure made even more flattering by the school uniform, especially since wore her skirt short like the other girls were fond of doing. Hiro fought the urge to fix her own skirt, which almost brushed again the top of her knees, whereas Kou's barely reached mid-thigh. She wondered how her brother felt about that.

Oh. Okay. _That _sent Hiro on a trip down memory lane. She occupied on auto-pilot for a while, following the others mechanically as they headed to the faculty office for – what was it again? Club funds? Struggle as she might, Hiro couldn't muster the energy to recall the conversation, because the only thought rampaging through her mind was _Matsuoka's sister is right before my very eyes._

Did that mean _he _was here too? Or was he still in Australia?

"But we have four swimmers now," declared Kou, snapping Hiro back to reality. She was looking expectantly at the young woman Hiro had met by the clubroom the other day – Miss Ama-chan, was it? Who knew she was actually a teacher?

Tachibana ran a hand through his seaweed-green hair. "Actually, Hiro-chan can't swim."

"You can learn," interjected Nanase, pinning her with that solemn stare of his.

Hiro ducked behind a curtain of red hair. "Sorry," she murmured, "but I'm not good with the water."

"So that's that," sighed Miss Ama-chan. "Unless you can get four swimmers, I'm afraid you won't be able to get the money." She tried to lighten the mood with an idiom that was so bizarre that Hiro thought her inner translator was malfunctioning.

The moment they left the office, Nagisa clapped a warm hand on her shoulder. "Hiro-chan, don't mind," he assured her. "I'm sure we can find another swimmer in no time."

Nagisa's sunny smile chased away the shadows looming over her features. Hiro returned the gesture, though unfortunately not as vividly. "Thank you, Nagisa-kun." And then an idea flickered into her mind. It arrived in the form of a young man, his bespectacled eyes consuming a fitness information book. "You chose me because I'm a girl with a guy's name, right? Well, actually…"

She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hiro was by no means a people person. If she had to choose between going outside and striking a conversation with a total stranger or remain cooped up in her room with a book, she would choose the latter in a heartbeat. Still, she wasn't completely socially inept – she knew there were certain things not to say, topics not to touch on. And asking Matsuoka Kou about her brother and his current whereabouts was an absolute no-no.

Judging by the lack of recognition expressed by the other girl, her brother had never mentioned the girl who was perhaps his only friend in Australia. (Yeah, that theory was shot down.) And that was fine. Expected, really. After all, Hiro was just some girl who had burst into Matsuoka Rin's life for a few weeks before disappearing entirely. If ever did refer to her, it would probably be by "that stalker chick".

Yeah. It was probably best that Kou had no idea who she was.

So although she really, really wanted to know how Matsuoka was doing, Hiro locked her lips shut and tossed the metaphorical key into the metaphorical ocean. She could always try to sneak in some subtle questions, but her cousin had always told her that she was as discrete as a bumbling whale. He was such a brat.

"There he is!" cried Nagisa, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Ryuguzaki Rei-chan! He's the same as us – a boy with a girly name."

Kou gaped. "_That's_ your reason?" When Nagisa nodded, she conceded with a sigh. "I have to agree, though. Look at those deltoids," she murmured appreciatively, pressing her fingers against her lips. Hiro could have sworn her eyes were sparkling.

If not for the facial features, it would have been difficult to remember who Kou's brother really was. They were just so different. What if the Matsuoka brother also liked to drool over men and their muscles…? Hiro struggled to reign in her laughter.

"You think those reasons are good enough?" asked a sceptical Tachibana. He truly was the level-headed leader of this rag-tag team of oddballs.

"My reason _is _good!" claimed Kou.

"Yeah, Mako-chan," said Nagisa. "You gotta go with your gut for these things. Besides, even Hiro-chan agrees!"

"You too, Hiro-chan?" Poor Tachibana looked so terrified. "Nagisa's already getting to you…"

Hiro shot him an amused look. "Sorry, Tachibana-san," she said, though her small smile said otherwise.

Nanase brought them back on track with a, "Hey, it looks like he's about to jump." Indeed, Ryuguzaki was preparing himself. From this distance, he looked as if he was muttering something beneath his breath.

Nagisa noticed it as well. "I wonder what he's murmuring about?" he said aloud, pink eyes alight with interest.

Maybe a magical spell to boost his prowess? The reply was on the tip of Hiro's tongue, but she was saved from embarrassing herself when Ryuguzaki shot off. The track team member's muscles rippled as he ran and made his impressive jump, eliciting gasps from the swim team. He executed his leap so coolly and calmly it was as if he was certain he would make it. And he did.

"His form was beautiful," noted Tachibana, and Hiro couldn't help but agree. "He'd probably make a beautiful diver."

"Absolutely!" gasped Kou, voice raw with pure admiration. "And his biceps are also beautiful!"

"Like I said, is that all you care about?!"

But it was true. Ryuguzaki's body was nothing to joke about. His shirt and shorts clung to his fit form, revealing just how toned he really was. It was clear that he constantly kept in shape, probably exercising every day and never coming in contact with any fats or sugars. Hiro eyed him enviously.

Tachibana groaned. "Don't tell me you're a muscle maniac, too, Hiro-chan."

Wha—? Hiro's eyes widened as she stammered out a denial. But it fell on deaf ears as Kou turned towards her with such enthusiasm she no doubt gained whiplash. "Really, Hiro-chan?" she squealed. "You're a fan as well?"

"Uh."

"I'm so happy someone else appreciates the magnificence of muscles! You know, I subscribe to Muscles Monthly. I can loan it to you, if you want!"

"Thank…you?"

And so that was how Hiro became an apparent muscle enthusiast. And Matsuoka Kou's good friend. Perhaps it wasn't so bad.

Kou made good on her promise the next day. When their break began, she showed up in Hiro's classroom and invited her to the rooftop for lunch. Surprised—but not unpleasantly so—Hiro accepted with a nod and a hesitant smile, packed up her novel and her lunch box, and followed the friendly girl.

Being a popular spot, Hiro had been half-expecting the rooftop to be packed with students. Fortunately, the only other person there was a friend of Kou's. Her name was Hanamura Chigusa, and she was so glamorous that Hiro immediately felt like a dumpy troll when she sat beside her. Hanamura's light brown hair was styled into an elaborate bun, tied together by a rose barrette, and her blue eyes glittered like diamonds as she inspected Hiro.

"Um, hello," Hiro said smoothly.

Hanamura stared at her so intensely that Hiro began to fidget. Suddenly, she said, "I know why you look so familiar! You go for jogs in the morning, right?"

Hiro's eyebrows shot up her forehead. "How did you know?"

"Because I like to run around in the morning, too." Hanamura smiled. "Which routes do you like best?" she asked eagerly.

Hiro smiled, now on familiar ground, though it was dimmed by the slight guilt that was undoubtedly evident in her eyes. She initially pinned Hanamura as a girly girl and was infinitely grateful that that wasn't so, because God knew Hiro was hopeless at girl talk. In fact, Hanamura—"Call me Hana," she told her with a dismissive wave of her hand—was rather unruly, tending to blurt out her thoughts and constantly referring to Kou as Gou, despite the latter's complaints. She was also, Hiro learnt, very impish.

"So," she said slyly, once Kou had disappeared inside to grab her latest copy of Muscle Monthly, "you stare at Gou a lot."

"D-Do I?"

Hana smirked, and Hiro felt her eye twitch. "Do you _like _her?"

She responded with a violent coughing fit. "What the—? Of course not! It's just… She reminds me of someone," she concluded quietly.

"Your past love?"

A sigh escaped past Hiro's, and she swore she could feel her soul leaving her body with it.

"What's this about past loves?" Kou asked excitedly as she returned, magazine in hand.

A glint appeared in Hana's eyes as her lips curled into a smile. Before she could execute her evil plan, however, Hiro beat her to the punch with a hasty, "Hana-san was telling me how she secretly thinks muscles are disgusting." Hana just had time to shoot Hiro a comically horrified look that screamed _traitor _when Kou unleashed her wrath unto her.

Feeling the slightest bit guilty (fangirls were pretty terrifying when provoked) Hiro intervened by asking Kou for the magazine. She was by no means on Kou's level when it came to muscles, but she couldn't help but admire how hard those fit men and women worked to maintain such a look.

"By the way," said Kou, as Hiro flipped through the pictures, "we're having a joint practice with Samezuka Academy later this week. I told the guys just now."

Hiro peeked up from the magazine. "Really? That's pretty amazing, Kou-san." Even though she personally wasn't swimming, it was nice to know that the guys could finally take a dip – especially Nanase. The way he eyed their outdoor pool was unnerving; it was even more intense than the stares couples directed at each other during Valentine's Day.

Kou beamed, blissfully oblivious to the dangerous path Hiro's mind was spiralling towards. "It's only natural, since I'm the manager and all."

Her reply sobered Hiro quickly. That was right; though Kou was a non-swimmer as well, she was doing her best to support the club and the team. Nagisa was struggling to recruit Ryuguzaki, and the second-years had helped resurrect the club itself. Everyone was diligently doing their part, hard at work… Everyone except her.

Hiro spent the rest of the afternoon in a contemplative silence.

The trip to Samezuka was, in one word, _awkward_. Nagisa had managed to hook in Ryuguzaki (which was great) except he refused to swim (which wasn't so great). The six of them sat in the train in a silence only disrupted by Nagisa's light snores. He must have suffered from a late one last night, because it was nearing mid-day and he was already conked out. With the social butterfly out of the picture, little to no conversation passed between the group. Hiro never fathomed there would be a day where she would miss Nagisa's constant chatter.

She frowned. What was with the mood? Sure, they were visiting a school notorious for its proficiency in swimming and sure, they only had three swimmers instead of the required four, but the tangible tension seemed to run more deeply than that. It felt…personal. Hiro fiddled with her backpack, worrying what could be awaiting them at Samezuka Academy.

The train jolted, sending Nagisa crashing into his seating buddy's shoulder. The blonde snoozed on as he drooled all over Ryuguzaki's shoulder. If only the rest of them could feel so at ease… Especially Ryuguzaki, who repeatedly tried to push Nagisa back into place, only to have his efforts ruined by the bumpy track, sending the blonde crashing back to his shoulder. The bespectacled boy finally relented with a sigh, but Hiro could have sworn that he wasn't nearly as upset as he made himself out to be. She smiled and wondered if she could capture a photo or two.

They reached the school several minutes later. It was _huge_. Beautiful, too. The building was so sleek and modern that Hiro had to check that they hadn't accidentally wandered into Tokyo instead. The others didn't share her awe, however, as they stepped stiffly inside.

The tables turned when they entered Samezuka's swimming centre. The others gaped freely as the sheer size of the indoor pool, having never witnessed such at this scale.

Kou, the one least obsessed with swimming, was the first to snap out of her trance. She probably noticed how Hiro's reaction—or lack thereof—because she turned to her and said, "You don't seem very interested, Hiro-chan."

Hiro nodded. "I used to go to a school crazy about sports and swimming, so…" The one in Australia was much grander, seeing how it accommodated students from all over the world.

Kou's eyes shone with curiosity. Before she could continue her train of thought, however, Tachibana stepped forward, interrupting them. "Should we get changed now, Kou-chan?" He nodded towards Nanase, who was fiddling with his necktie as he gazed longingly at the pool. "Haru's getting restless."

"Ah, right! Let's see… I think the locker rooms are over there," said Kou, pointing to the change-rooms on the other side. "I'll take your bag and put it with mine, okay, Hiro-chan?"

"Are you sure you don't mind, Kou-san?" When her friend nodded, Hiro smiled and shrugged off her backpack. "Thank you."

"No worries! In the meantime, do you think you can tell the captain that we're here?"

"Uh, sure." It was with slight bemusement that Hiro watched Kou walk off. Their manager tended to take charge on these types of tasks, so why would she leave Hiro of all people to handle such a social matter? It was almost as if Kou was avoiding something… Or someone. Hiro felt the muscle in her jaw twitch. What kind of person was this captain? Was _he _the reason everyone was so anxious?

She fidgeted with the zipper of her jacket. The manager had entrusted her with a job, no matter how small or detestable, so she was going to complete it seamlessly. With that thought it mind, Hiro headed over to the only other person who was fully clothed.

"Um," she piped up to the tall man who had his back turned to her. "Excuse me. Are you the capt— eh?" Hiro stopped short as he swivelled around, her jaw falling open. "Sei-nii?!"

"Sei-nii…?" Mikoshiba Seijuro stared down at her for a good while before comprehension dawned in those gold eyes of his. "Hiro! Is that you?!"

"Y-Yeah," she murmured, dazed with shock. "Still slow on the uptake, huh?" she couldn't help but note, smiling wryly.

"I can't believe it. It is you!" Sei placed his large hands on her shoulders, as if to determine that she really was there before him. Hiro grunted at the sudden weight. "How long has it been – eight years? I haven't seen you since the funeral. When did you come back from Australia?" He paused, frowning contemplatively. "You're still smart-mouthed, I see."

Hiro's smile shifted into a smirk. "Only for you."

"Australia?" repeated Kou, startling Hiro. Since when had she returned? "You went to Australia, Hiro-chan? Is that where you attended that sports school?"

Her smirk slid right off of her features. "Um, yes. How did you—?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Sei. "Hiro, you're friends with Gou-kun?"

"Uh, yeah," she said slowly. Things were getting weirder and weirder. "Kou-san, this is my cousin, Mikoshiba Seijuro. Though I haven't seen him in almost ten years…" She turned back to one of her only living relatives, admiring how different he looked.

They had first met when she was five and living in the city. Sei and his family came to visit over summer break, and the two had eventually bonded, even though he tended to tease her, and she retaliated by tackling him to the ground.

"You look the same as ever," her cousin told her with a grin. Hiro was momentarily thrown before she remembered – she hadn't started putting on weight til after she left Japan. "A bit redder…" He ran his eyes over her school tracksuit, its crimson shade clashing horribly with her hair. "Like a chilli pepper."

"Bullying me just like old times," she grumbled. "Do you want me to pay you back like then as well? My dad's taught me some new moves."

Sei let out a loud laugh, sounding just like his own father did whenever he belted out one of his infamous chortles. Hiro could have sworn she detected a hint of unease in his expression, though – especially when he glanced at Kou. He removed his hands from her person and ruffled her red hair, which was several shades darker than his own bronze locks. "As if you could hurt me, little cousin. Don't give the others the wrong impression!"

Surprise rippled across Tachibana's features as he and the rest of the team approached. Hiro knew this because she was valiantly keeping her eyes _above_ their shoulders and away from their half-naked bodies. "The captain of Samezuka's swim team is your cousin, Hiro-chan?" the boy asked, oblivious to her discomfort.

Hiro ran a hand through her hair. "I'm surprised, too," she confessed. Wait. _He _was the one Kou was so wary of? She looked calm enough now, but…

She sighed. This was all too much for her poor brain.

"We'll catch up later," promised Sei, as he directed his attention to the Iwatobi Swim Team. _Still bossy as ever_, she thought, barely paying attention while her cousin showered compliment after compliment onto Nanase, who looked like he couldn't care less. Then again, Sei never was perceptive when it came to people's opinions about him. He was kind of dumb like that.

Disinterested with the conversation, Hiro's eyes wandered to her cousin's left. A boy stood a little ways behind his captain, with only a pair of incredibly small swimming trunks covering him. Hiro adamantly refrained from looking past his petite face and blue eyes. Jeez, these swimmers needed to learn about modesty.

Surprised, he caught her gaze for a moment before turning away to greet the newcomer. "Oh, senpai," he called. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied. Hiro was too busy feeling relieved that this clothed person had blocked her view of the shameless boy before her mind registered what she was seeing. Those long, purple locks… There was no way—

It was as if her feet had a mind of their own. Hiro stuffed her trembling hands in her pockets as she took a shaky step towards him. She was dimly aware of the curious look the blue-eyed boy was shooting her, but she was too focused on his friend to care.

"Hey," she said, snatching his attention. The tall boy turned around, knocking all the air from Hiro's lungs. His eyes regarded her dully, almost as if he didn't recognise her. Didn't remember her. "F-Funny seeing you here, huh?"

Hiro smiled so widely she was afraid it would split her face in half.

"Matsuoka-kun."


End file.
